Q&A with DE Carter

The Raiders re-signed veteran defensive end Andre Carter on Tuesday. A short time later, he spoke with the Bay Area media on a conference call. Here is the transcript:

Q: What does it mean to you to continue your career with the Raiders in the Bay Area?

Carter: It means so much. As you know, I started my football career at Oak Grove High School in San Jose, went to Cal, went to the 49ers. Of course, I played with other teams, but it all comes full circle. It started in the Bay and it’s a great opportunity to be back in the Bay and be back with an organization that’s trying to turn things around and be an elite team again. So I’m very grateful.

Q: How many years would you say you’d still like to play?

Carter: Everybody always asks me that. One of the old vets finally told me, if you can go for 10, go for five more, but I just take it one year at a time. Everything is always based upon the individual, just how you feel. Can you wake up and do it again week after week? That’s just something that I’ve been taught consistently since day one. I just take it one year at a time and 2013 will be year 13 for me. I’m just taking it all in stride.

Q: What was your feeling about how the Raiders defense finished the season last year and your role in that?

Carter: In general, we definitely had a little bit of struggles in the beginning, but towards the end, we came along strong. I just think we were communicating real well. We were making plays. We weren’t giving up as much yardage as we did in the beginning. Like any scheme, it takes some time. And when you’re dealing with a lot of younger guys that are just kind of maybe unsure of themselves or just unsure of the scheme, we just continued to talk and communicate and towards the end you could see it was very productive. That was just something that was a stepping stone as far as our development and we just continued this from then on. As far as for myself, I appreciate the Raiders organization for bringing me in, especially coming off a major injury. And then personally for myself, I just started coming back to my own, to how I basically played through 2011, before I got hurt. For them to see that and bring me back, they believed in me and believed I still had a lot left in the tank, not only from a player standpoint, but from a leader standpoint. Taking that leadership into the locker room, teaching the younger guys how it’s done, what it takes to be a professional, not just from a football standpoint, but just life in general because this game is never promised. One play could be your last. I’ve been very fortunate to play for a long period of time. I pray that the young guys that I take under my wing that they have a long career as well.

Q: Since the season ended and free agency started, was it your feeling that the Raiders were going to bring you back?

Carter: I was optimistic. I knew there was going to be a lot of changes after last season, but I was optimistic just talking to Coach DA [Dennis Allen], [Defensive Coordinator Jason] Tarver, and later on, talking to Reggie McKenzie. I think we were on the same page that I was going to come back and I wanted to come back. The Bay Area means a lot to me. It’s just a special area. Like I said, I wanted to see this organization win because they haven’t won in over a decade, which is a shame because you have a lot of talent. It just takes the right guys to turn this thing around.

Steve Corkran

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DMAC Says:
April 10th, 2013 at 10:08 am
I rather address the RT spot, before the TE position. At least Gordon can block…. kind of, sord of

NOOOOOOO!
2 false start Barnes starting

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??? Willie Smith ???
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Please no!!!
Is he still on the roster?

inonewordraider

i want star

but i think he goes DE with the first pick

SnBG

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A few of the earlier mocks at Walterfootball dot com had us taking Star.

If I was the GM I wouldn’t give a flying frogs fat as$ what the mock drafts said, nor would I even have time to ever look at such a thing.
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Was’nt that before we knew about Stars heart prob? I don’t know, I bet GM’s do look at the Mock drafts, they just may not admit it. I like them as a tool because I’m not an expert. I can’t sit aroUnd and look at tape all day or go to pro days and combines.

DMAC

they did a q & a with alex barron, don’t think anyone did a backflip when we signed him
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What about a Willie Smith interview?

The_Judge37

Please no!!!
Is he still on the roster?
——-

He’s on the Reggie Mac Scholarship

http://polarityblog.com Silverandblack666

“i want star

but i think he goes DE with the first pick”

RM will trade down probably with New Orleans and take a DE with that #15 slot. That is my prediction.

dr_robert

Snbg–well star rules this board and some other reports. But forgetting about mocks for a moment, for whatever reason Floyd is rated higher by scouting services. Floyd’s stock SOARED after the combine. Stars fell a bit due to the heart issue and hasn’t quite recovered.

Reggie will have his own board and many times a team’s board is very different.

My feeling is Reggie has taken star off his board.

Think about it. It’s Reggie’s first #1. Is he gonna take an interior player that could end up having to retire early? Too risky. Especially when there are other, potentially better choices.

Star is an interior hog. He is good but he’s not mean joe Greene. I don’t think.

R8ER MIKE

lol lol.. i dont know DMAC.. just thought i would stir up some poop !!
and Good day Mr Prez !!

Star’s not even in the first round in 2 of the 4 mock drafts on nfl.com

SnBG

Silverandblack666 Says:
April 10th, 2013 at 10:02 am
I think the mock drafts are more to predict who will go at #3 than if the Raiders actually pick there.

Example if the Raiders trade down and someone like Miami trades with us and picks FLOYD then the experts can say they were right Floyd went at #3.

I was using Miami as an example but they would pick a LT if they traded just trying to show a hypothetical.
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I’ve seen some mocks that use trade down scenarios and not one that I’ve seen picks Star

R8ER MIKE

?? did we re-sign Hanson ??

guest123

Julian Edleman resigned with the Pats. I know some people in here really wanted him.

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i’m going on a limb and saying criner will be our breakout player on O this year

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I’m already sittin on that branch….I watched his whole career at AZ…. He stole the show in mini’s and OTA’s. Dude just seemed to have season long / Nagging injuries and never really got an opportunity to break through……He did have that clutch 2-pt convo to keep us alive against Tampa Bay.

If he’s 100%, I say he becomes our #1 receiver.

dr_robert

Missdick–ur reaching dude. They did a simple q and a with a guy who’s from the area. Carter just helps us go into the draft without automatic needs. This way Reggie picks BPA and doesn’t have to get a pass rusher in the first if it doesn’t fit.

Do u want all-Pryor all the time?

http://polarityblog.com Silverandblack666

666

DMAC

R8ER MIKE Says:
April 10th, 2013 at 10:22 am

lol lol.. i dont know DMAC.. just thought i would stir up some poop !!
and Good day Mr Prez !!
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I wouldn’t say Reggie looks at mocks. But they do use the scouting services. Mcshay and kiper run legit services that are used by lots of teams.

It’s just a guide. Lots of players to sift thru.

SnBG

Dr_robert Says:
April 10th, 2013 at 10:21 am
Snbg–well star rules this board and some other reports. But forgetting about mocks for a moment, for whatever reason Floyd is rated higher by scouting services. Floyd’s stock SOARED after the combine. Stars fell a bit due to the heart issue and hasn’t quite recovered.

Reggie will have his own board and many times a team’s board is very different.

My feeling is Reggie has taken star off his board.

Think about it. It’s Reggie’s first #1. Is he gonna take an interior player that could end up having to retire early? Too risky. Especially when there are other, potentially better choices.

Star is an interior hog. He is good but he’s not mean joe Greene. I don’t think.
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All good points Dr. Star would be my pick. That heart prob is troubling. It’s just curious, that’s all

guest123

Where’s your source at invitado uno2tres?
lol

^^^^^^^^^

don’t have one carnal DMAC. Saw a tweet from Hansen last night saying “I’m back Raider Nation!” Figured it was a done deal.

DMAC

And there’s always room for a honey badger in the silver and black.

Mistic1 Tha Supavillain

HOLY CRAP!!!!! have you seen this? You have never seen no.2 like this.

Is he actually ENJOYING the grind?

Wow if this guy can keep this mentality not only will he end up on a roster, but if he gets on the field he will be hard to take off.

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?? what no interview… its a conspiracy i tell ya !!

SnBG

Floyd to the Raiders.

DMAC

guest123 Says:
April 10th, 2013 at 10:30 am

Where’s your source at invitado uno2tres?
lol

^^^^^^^^^

don’t have one carnal DMAC. Saw a tweet from Hansen last night saying “I’m back Raider Nation!” Figured it was a done deal.
======

Fasho
Good to have a decent player who can cover the slot.
Another nice signing by big Reg

Kirk

I pray we go for an offensive tackle in the first round.

I am tired of watching our quarterbacks run for their lives.

raiderinparadise

Hard to trade down, not that simple. Possible but not that simple.

This draft does not have huge leverage play to do so, and by leverage I mean ELITE can’t miss players, anyone trading down for the #3 it would be a luxury team like the 49ers, someone will lots of draft picks and a great squad that wants to a add a nice piece.

What the Flacons did for Julio Jones was out of this world, but they thought it would give them a superbowl shot.

Who knows which team is thinking the same … if any?

The_Judge37

What do you guys think about bringing back Chris Carr? We need a reliable returner and he was decent enough at CB

DMAC

With all that dough that Jasizzurp stole from uncle Al, he should buy himself a new hair line.

DMAC

The_Judge37 Says:
April 10th, 2013 at 10:34 am

What do you guys think about bringing back Chris Carr? We need a reliable returner and he was decent enough at CB
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Draft the honey badger
problem solved

RaiderRockstar

@Bcz

saying Ty Branch is better than Gio just seems wrong

you’re talking about a guy that Reggie made a Top 5 paid SS versus a guy Reggie picked up off the street for vet minimum. They don’t even play the same position

Not that hard actually. All you have to do is adjust your expecations. We aren’t getting the haul of picks the Browns got for Julio. We aren’t getting the haul of picks the Rams got for RG3. The market will dictate what we get and we’ll move down and likely get back our missing 2nd rounder. That may not be what everyone is hoping for, but it’s what Reggie must do.

Cervantes

2 words not in Al’s vocabulary:

Rebuild
Retire

Hardheadedest MFer ever.

*******************************

I thought there were 3

Commitment to Excellence

49-111 over the past 10 seasons makes that statement a joke.

How anyone can complain about what Reggie has done inheriting a team that bad, but still 30 Million over the cap, and with no picks until the 4th round is unbelievable.

Just shows how little you know about the business of profitability.

Reggie has saved ownership at least 70+Million dollars in less than 2 offseasons, while also making the team more competitive, more disciplined, and sending a message out to the NFL that there are no more free paychecks in Oakland.

If I owned the Raiders…I’d be in LOVE with this guy.

guest123

dr_robert Says:
April 10th, 2013 at 10:38 am
We currently have nine CBs on the roster.

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and 8 of them are one year contracts.

RaiderRockstar

Julian Edleman resigned with the Pats. I know some people in here really wanted him.

but hey – he’s fast and he tries hard so there are a handful of Raider fans on the blog who love him, lol

The_Judge37

B Scott will probably be signed and he’s also a return man
——

Is he a Punt Returner? We already have a KR in Ford.

RaiderFredinDallas

McShay changed his Mock Draft on the RAIDERS AT #3.
First he said Floyd. Now hes saying Ansah.
I switched from a run-stopper to a OL.
Im rooting for Warmack at number 3 but Guards are not usually taken that high.
We will see folks.